One of the important points of fruit—and flower painting as well—is the proper form of leaves. Some decorators fall into the habit of painting leaves of blackberries, currants, grapes, plums, etc., all in the same irregular and ragged manner for which there is no excuse other than lack of experience or painting leaves from memory. Above all we advise the student to study the different leaves carefully. There is such a variety of fruits and flowers that volumes could be written in describing them, so we will confine our efforts to instructions on painting the fruits most commonly used as designs for china painting. These are blackberries, cherries, currants, plums, grapes and a few other varieties. Blackberries and wild cherries are laid in with a wash of black for the first firing, which should be applied only on the dark side of the berries. The light part and the highlight should be left pure white. For second firing, apply a wash of banding blue and black with a little purple added to give it warmth. Wipe out one or two sharp highlights just above center of berry to give it fullness and transparency; the piece is then ready for second fire. Should a third fire be required, be careful not to use too much black as dark colors are apt to blister if applied too heavily.

Another combination for a beautiful dark color is first apply a wash of dark green over the dark part of the berry for first firing and going over it with a wash of crimson purple for second fire. You must not omit wiping out highlights which are especially noticeable on fruits with smooth skin.

Red Cherries. For painting red cherries, use dark pompadour for the dark parts and poppy red for the lighter portion. Violet or iron is a good color to use for deep cherries.

Currants. For currants, dark pompadour is a good color to use, but it should be kept thin and the highlights must not be forgotten. Currants of a lighter red may be painted with poppy red.

Plums. Crimson purple and banding blue are used in painting plums—about three parts of blue to one of crimson purple. This same combination may be used for second firing, with a light wash of black for deepest shadows.

Grapes. For painting dark blue grapes, use a mixture of about two parts banding blue to one part each purple and black. A strong contrast between light and shade should be an essential. Red grapes are treated the same as those above, but here violet of iron should be used for shadows, and dark pompadour mixed with about one-eighth part ruby for lighter portion. These applications should be applied very lightly.

Green Grapes. Shadows of green grapes should be laid in with a light wash of olive green. The light parts are left white. A delicate stroke of egg yellow around the under side of berry will give transparency to the fruit. The reddish tones may be added with a mixture of poppy red and pompadour for second firing.

Strawberries. It will be noted that dark pompadour is a very useful color for fruits. The shadows in the strawberries should also be laid in with this color and the light parts with a very light application of light pompadour. It will not be amiss to remind the decorator that in china painting all deep shadows are painted in for first firing and the lighter tints applied for second and third firings.

Crab Apples. Paint in the dark parts with brown green, and a light wash of yellow brown and yellow green over the light parts for first firing. Add the reddish tone with a mixture of dark pompadour and yellow red, and refire.

Oranges. Oranges are usually painted with yellow brown. Shadows are obtained by laying one application over another, and blending out the color thinly for lights.

Red Raspberries. These are laid in with dark pompadour for both light and dark parts.

Gooseberries. Lay in the shadows of the tints with moss green and apply wash of apple green over the light parts. Ripe gooseberries have a pinkish cast. To obtain this tint, a light dusting of peach blossom over a very light application of light pompadour will produce a delicate pink, very suitable for this purpose.

Peaches. The greenish cast in the outer edge of dark shadows of peaches, is laid in with brown green. This color should be blended with the light parts with a wash of bluish violet color. For the pink tones of the fruit apply a light wash of dark pompadour and the painting is ready to fire.

For the second firing, paint over the entire fruit with a mixture consisting of one part of yellow brown and two parts of ivory yellow. Then strengthen the reddish tints and the shadows.

Do not attempt to work too fast by using the colors too thick. China colors should be used sparingly. The strength of tints is obtained by frequent firings.

Flowers or fruit painted with repeated applications of color will appear soft, glossy and transparent.

“Dusting of colors,” which has been treated under separate heading, will be invaluable in obtaining the delicate blendings so necessary in all natural styles of decoration.

After fruit and grounds have been painted, light dusting of powder colors such as delicate yellow browns, greens and light pinks may be applied with cotton rubbing lightly over fruit and background to produce a soft, harmonious relation of tints.